This bridal lehenga colour name list explains the Indian shade names you'll hear from your mother, your aunts and anyone who has sold fabric for years: rani, gajri, pyazi, katha, elaichi, firozi, tamatari and more. At House of Daisy on Golf Course Road, Gurugram, we keep fabric swatches in the showroom so you can match a name to a real colour in your hands, and a made-to-order lehenga can be made in any shade from our fabric shade cards.
Why do Indian shade names matter?
English colour words are broad. "Pink" can mean a dozen colours. Indian shade names are often named after something everyone has seen, a flower, a spice, a fruit, so they describe a colour more exactly. When your mother says she wants "pyazi" and not "gulabi", she is being precise. Knowing the words helps you describe what you want and understand what your family is picturing.
One honest caution: names are used loosely, and two shops may mean slightly unlike shades by the same word. Always confirm with a swatch.
Reds and oranges
- Lal: red, the classic bridal colour.
- Sindoori: a bright vermilion red, named after sindoor.
- Tamatari: tomato red, a lively red that leans slightly orange. Fresh in daylight.
- Kirmizi: a deep crimson, a word you'll hear in older families.
- Gajri: carrot colour, a warm pink-orange, much loved in Rajasthani wear.
- Kesari: saffron, a deep golden orange.
Pinks and purples
- Rani: the strong, deep pink between magenta and fuchsia that many families think of as the bridal pink.
- Gulabi: rose pink, softer than rani.
- Pyazi: onion pink, a muted pink with a hint of mauve, like the papery outer layer of a pink onion.
- Jamuni: the deep purple of the jamun fruit.
Greens and blues
- Hara: green in general.
- Elaichi: cardamom, a soft green with a beige cast. Understated and elegant.
- Mehendi: the olive green of henna leaves.
- Dhaani: the fresh green of young rice plants.
- Firozi: turquoise, a bright blue-green named after the stone.
- Aasmani: sky blue.
- Neela: blue in general; deeper blues are often just called royal blue.
Browns, neutrals and metallics
- Katha: a reddish brown, named after catechu. Rich and earthy.
- Badami: almond, a light warm beige.
- Sunehri: golden, used for gold zari and gold-toned fabrics.
- Rupehri: silver.
How do I use these names when choosing my lehenga?
Use them as a starting point, not the final word. Here is a simple way to go from a name to a colour you're sure of:
- Write down the names you and your family keep using.
- Bring a real object in that colour if you have one: a dupatta, a bangle, a flower.
- At the showroom, ask to see swatches for each name, side by side, in daylight and warm light.
- Pick the swatch, not the word. That swatch becomes your colour reference.
Help with choosing a colour is given at the showroom, with fabric swatches. You can also try on ready lehengas in many shades, red and non-red, to see a name come alive on you. Browse our bridal lehengas beforehand to collect shades you like.
Can my lehenga be made in a named shade like gajri or elaichi?
Yes, in any shade from our fabric shade cards, so we match the name to a card you approve. You then choose the fabric, neckline, sleeves, embroidery and its placement one by one. Your designer shares a sketch for your approval before anything is made, and you see an embroidery sample before the whole piece is made. Pieces we make to order are made to your measurements and hand-embroidered in our atelier. If you have a picture of the look you want, read your own design, made into your bridal lehenga.
Order a made-to-order bridal lehenga at least 8 weeks before the wedding. A made-to-order piece is priced on its fabric, embroidery and hours of work, and the designer quotes after the sketch. The first design consultation is free.
Our showroom is Shop 226A, 2nd Floor, DT Mega Mall, Golf Course Road, DLF Phase 1, Sector 28, Gurugram. We're open every day from 11 AM to 9 PM; bridal consultations are by appointment, and walk-ins are welcome to see pieces.
Questions brides ask
What colour is pyazi?
Onion pink: a muted pink with a little mauve in it, softer than rani or gulabi.
What is gajri colour?
A warm carrot pink-orange, traditional in Rajasthani wear and lovely for festive daytime ceremonies.
Is firozi blue or green?
Both. Firozi is turquoise, a bright shade between blue and green.
Do all shops mean the same colour by a name?
Not always. Confirm with a swatch you can hold before you decide.
Elaichi colour kaisa hota hai?
Elaichi halka hara hota hai jisme thoda beige dikhta hai, jaise ilaichi ka chhilka. Bahut subtle aur graceful lagta hai.
Written by the House of Daisy studio · Ask us anything on WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)